Simple Question about Yale

[taybaxter]

Hi everybody,

Is anybody else here applying to Yale? Do you guys know if the book review is submitted place of the statement of purpose or along with it?

[lexi87]

I'm pretty sure both are required.

[taybaxter]

I'm pretty sure both are required.

That's what I thought. I've prepared both but I just wanted to make sure that I should submit both.

[crazedandinfused]

For what it's worth, I did both..

[remenis]

It is definitely both. I was told so by a Yale professor.

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

I'm doing both also...and I am making sure that my book review is very relevant to my proposed research projects set forth in my SoP...

[goldielocks]

Yes, to say what has already been said... both are required. I'm polishing mine this weekend. I hadn't realized how short it is! I need to trim, trim, trim.

Best of luck!

[crazedandinfused]

Yes, to say what has already been said... both are required. I'm polishing mine this weekend. I hadn't realized how short it is! I need to trim, trim, trim.

Best of luck!

The book review really is friggin short. I went back and read mine and it reads more like a review in the New Yorker than it does a review in a journal....... Oh well! We shall see.

[PhillyPhan896]

So is it supposed to be two pages double-spaced, or two pages single-spaced? On the website, they are very clear about saying that the writing sample should be 25 pages double-spaced, but they do not specify for the book review. This is kind of nit-picky, I realize, but it is a difference of roughly 500 words, which is substantial.

[taybaxter]

I did two pages single-spaced.

[PhillyPhan896]

I did two pages single-spaced.

Including the two-inch top margins, I assume... What's that, about 850 words?

[taybaxter]

Including the two-inch top margins, I assume... What's that, about 850 words?

Yup, two-inch margins. Actually ended up being about 1100 words with all the other margins set to 1" (Default for Word 2007).

Edited December 6, 2011 by taybaxter

[natsteel]

FWIW, I can't speak as to what the other admittees did, but I went through the process successfully last year and I submitted my review as two pages single-spaced.

[lureynol]

Including the two-inch top margins, I assume... What's that, about 850 words?

I'm just preparing my Yale application now - what's this about 2 inch margins? Did I miss something?

[taybaxter]

I'm just preparing my Yale application now - what's this about 2 inch margins? Did I miss something?

They don't say anything about it until you see the directions on the upload page on the App. So in my case, I had prepared a 25-page writing sample with normal margins only to see that they required a two-inch margin once I got to the upload page on the app. Very frustrating to have to make more cuts...

[lureynol]

They don't say anything about it until you see the directions on the upload page on the App. So in my case, I had prepared a 25-page writing sample with normal margins only to see that they required a two-inch margin once I got to the upload page on the app. Very frustrating to have to make more cuts...

Aha, ok, my thanks.

[natsteel]

Just a heads-up... Apparently, the GSAS will be requiring Humanities departments to interview potential candidates this year for the first time.

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2012/jan/11/grad-school-divided-over-interviews/

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

oy...I hope to have to deal with this issue...do I go for an in-face interview or schedule a skyp or just try to impress with voice command and a strong presentation over the phone...

what's that, there's only a 1-5% chance they'll call me for an interview??? bummer...

[TMP]

Very interesting piece, natsteel. I've never applied to Yale but I digress.

There is a point about learning from the people in the sciences on doing admissions and graduate programs. It would be quite interesting to see how this new practice will work over the next 10 years- will more humanities students finish their PhDs because the department has been able to identify those who have showed promise during a conversation?

I've been envious of my science-PhD friends simply because of the way they do things over there.

[PhillyPhan896]

oy...I hope to have to deal with this issue...do I go for an in-face interview or schedule a skyp or just try to impress with voice command and a strong presentation over the phone...

what's that, there's only a 1-5% chance they'll call me for an interview??? bummer...

This is interesting. Where did you hear that there was only 1-5% chance of being called for an interview? Or are you just referring to the admissions rate in general...?

[natsteel]

Very interesting piece, natsteel. I've never applied to Yale but I digress.

There is a point about learning from the people in the sciences on doing admissions and graduate programs. It would be quite interesting to see how this new practice will work over the next 10 years- will more humanities students finish their PhDs because the department has been able to identify those who have showed promise during a conversation?

I've been envious of my science-PhD friends simply because of the way they do things over there.

ticklemepink, the attitude among many PhD students here in the History Department that I've talked to is the exact opposite of yours. They don't appreciate that the Dean, being from a science field, is trying to make humanities departments run more like their science counterparts without taking into account the significant differences between sciences and the humanities. Admissions interviews is only a very small part of that larger process of corporatization and increasing "efficiency." One proposal included having humanities students take part of their orals after the first year (which is done by the Econ Dept.). A big part of it is that the administration wants to find a way to stop wasting money by funding students who eventually don't finish the PhD. This is not something unique to New Haven as it is very much a broader trend occurring in higher education.

[barricades]

One proposal included having humanities students take part of their orals after the first year (which is done by the Econ Dept.)

Holy crap. I feel pressured enough that we have ours in the 4th semester. I have no idea how I'd handle having to do it in the 1st year.

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

This is interesting. Where did you hear that there was only 1-5% chance of being called for an interview? Or are you just referring to the admissions rate in general...?

referring to the chances they are impressed enough with my app that they would care to interview me...the % is probably more like 0-1%...I made the mistake of looking at the bios of current students...

Hey Natsteel, anyone in your cohort have good credientials from a run-of-the-mill, state U masters program? Actually...don't answer that question. Since they haven't said no yet, lets keep the dream alive

[natsteel]

Hey Natsteel, anyone in your cohort have good credientials from a run-of-the-mill, state U masters program? Actually...don't answer that question. Since they haven't said no yet, lets keep the dream alive

ADMITedlyLucky, I got in straight from undergrad at a very large regional public city college system and there is another who got his/her MA at a very large public southwestern university,

Edited January 12, 2012 by natsteel

[TMP]

Aside from the fact that the dean's from the sciences, is there a particular reason why the students don't like any of the proposals?

Maybe I'm just very progressive or have had the chance to understand my friends' experiences in science PhD programs intimately, there are just some aspects that I think would be quite good for history programs. I am beginning to hear, from such friends and in retrospect from historians, that your adviser and the people you work with are very important to your success. I have a friend or two in literature programs who are absolutely struggling with their dissertations because they have such lousy relationships with their committees and they just seem so alone. History students are essentially with their advisers for a long haul. I cannot imagine being miserable with an adviser for more than 4 years and not have a lot of alternatives in the department. I've "interviewed" my potential advisers just as much as they've "interviewing" me.

I am quite certain that history will continue to move towards collaboration, especially with the greater use of technology that will open up new opportunities for historical research. So I do think there's some consideration that ought to be taken into account when such proposals involving personal interactions are made.

(FYI: I've found that Skype is much better than a telephone in terms of connecting with people/potential departments. It's good as you can get as meeting in person. There's something about visual that creates another level of connection).